Leaders in affordable and sustainable housing will meet on the Sunshine Coast today to unpack the economic drivers behind the current crisis and discuss what the future looks like for the region ahead of the 2032 Olympics and beyond.
The group will meet for a panel presentation at The Metropolitan in the new Maroochydore CBD as part of the Design Series, which aims to deliver thought-provoking discussions and facilitate connections across key industry groups from the arts, architecture, digital, engineering, environment, landscape and planning sectors.
The topic is Affordable Housing – A Wicked Problem and will look at how Australians are impacted by a system inflicting long-term pain throughout the community and creating complex issues around affordability.
Among the panellists will be Darren Mew, the executive manager of BlueCHP community housing in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
BlueCHP is a not-for-profit developer that provides social, affordable and disability accommodation to more than 2000 residents across Australia in a build-to-rent housing portfolio, and Mr Mew has held senior roles for some of the nation’s largest developers including Stockland, Springfield Land Corporation and Urbis.
“This generation of Australians are experiencing a well-documented affordable housing crisis,” Mr Mew said.
“Census data found that over half a million Australian households were experiencing housing stress in 2021, of which 150,000 households are in Queensland.
“Sunshine Coast residential vacancy rates for April 2023 are less than two in 100 properties.
“Solving for this problem will need all players to come together in a spirit of cooperation.
“We need to look to the 100-year view, creating policy and partnerships that enable a more resilient system that offers affordable housing choices.”
Amanda Yeates, the CEO of SunCentral, which is guiding the development of the new CBD, said the panel discussion would give a timely insight to forward-looking planning options for diverse housing for essential workers and future local residents.
“Affordable housing affects the fabric of our communities, enables stability and boosts economic productivity,” she said.
“It is crucial to the growth and success of the Sunshine Coast region and the expanding Maroochydore City Centre.”
The other panellists will be Martin Garred, director of Civity in north Queensland; Dan McKenna, CEO of Nightingale Housing Victoria; and Dr Diaswati Mardiasmo, chief economist of PRD Real Estate.
“Our current housing crisis is due to the complex interaction of multiple forces and how differing institutions react through its policies,” Dr Mardiasmo said.
“Household budget and consumer behaviour; current economic and cost-of-living conditions; the RBA’s cash rates decisions; the federal government’s various Home Guarantee Schemes; the COVID-19 pandemic and war impacting the construction sector; state and local council’s competing needs when creating a housing plan; and migration and population growth are just some of the ingredients in the housing supply-demand mix.
“To be able to address all these ingredients simultaneously poses a significant challenge, making housing affordability a wicked problem.”
The event is on Thursday, June 1, from 5pm. Tickets are $20 via this link.
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